Tag: heart health

Recent statistics reveal the jarring prevalence of depression among U.S. adults with an estimated 17.3 million affected American adults, or over 7% of the population. Although depression is a serious condition on its own, a growing body of research suggests it has a connection to a host of cardiometabolic conditions. While the comorbidity of depression and cardiovascular disease has been long known, the underlying mechanisms behind the connection are under investigation. Forthcoming studies implicate that not only heart disease can stem from depressive symptoms, but cancer, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic conditions have also been linked to mental illness.

As rates of obesity have steadily climbed over the past 40 years, more adolescents and young adults are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than ever before. Between 2002 and 2012 alone, the incidence of type 2 diabetes in youth grew by nearly 5%. As early onset has been directly linked to poorer outcomes, young adults diagnosed with diabetes face higher risks for long-term complications.